The Irish standard., 1887-07-30

victim, and said: Very well, Shea, le,
it be So; really think it IS the best
thing you can do, and I'll be glad tc
hear of your success
CHAPTER Nv.
tOh! what harm if we were together.
if we were all together-if it was to the
poor-house or to the grave itself, I'd be
satisfied sobbed Sally Cavanagh, as
she cluDg to her husband.
Have courage, Sally; be brave as you
always wor, an with Gods blessin'
twill be all for the best. An now God
be with you, Sally, gra gal ma
croidhe!' and as he uttered the endear.
ing phrase, he bent fondly over to her.
while his voice assumed tone of such
melting softness, that it fell upon he1
heart like an echo of their bridal day.
for they were the very words that
thrilled her with strange ecstasy when
she first entered his home proud and
happy bride. She hid her face in his
bosom while her heart swelled almost
to bursting. The children crowded
round him, crying piteously: oh!
father, father, are you goin' away from
us?' % Sally, o childher, childher,
will ye break yer fathers hearth he
sobbed, as he took them one by one in
his arms and kissed them; and the
strong mans tears fell like rain upon
the faces of the little ones.
Some of the neighbors interposed,
and tore away the heart broken wife
and weeping children by main force;
and Connor Shea staggered like a
drunken man out of the house, sup
ported by the arm of Brian Purcell.
Their way lay round wood that
skirted part of the mountain. When
they reached The corner of the wood,
which was to shut out the last glimpse
of the valley. Connor Shea paused.
'Yes, there it is,' he said, looking to-
ward his own house, lonesome enough
now, though there was day, and I
wouldn't change it for a palace; an
there black heart in it that was a
bright heart vance, He gazed in 81
lence for some minutes, the working
of his face telling too plainly the agony
he suffered. He knelt down with his
face against rock and prayed. He
rose from his knees with a look of
calm resignation. For one moment a
dark frown gathered on his brow. as
his eye caught the glimmer of carriage
lamps which went flashing through the
tees along the avenue at Grindem
Hall.
There's great ball there tonight, ,
he muttered.
Come, Connor, let us be moving ,
said Brian.
He made no reply. He was wrestling
with a dark thought which he fancied
he had forever driven from his heart,
but which at that moment came back
to renew the assault with the strength
of legion of fiends. He thrust his
hand into his breast as if in search of
something. IT'S all right said he, at
last. all right. was afeard I lost the
Agnus Del Mrs. James gave me. We
may as we'll be goin' now, Mr.. Brian;'
and giving one more look at the little
white house, they turned the corner of
the wood and proceeded on their way in
silence. They soon came up with a
crowd of other emigrants and their
friends, who were awaiting Connor
Shea's arrival at the Finger-post, which
was the place of rendezvous agreed
upon.
Farewell, old friendp said Brian Pur-
cell, holding out his hand with a full
heart. Connor Shea did not take the
profered hand; but flinging his arm
round the young mans shoulders, he
strained him to his breast. Brian stood
alone in the mild moonlight leaning
against the Finger post. The road,
which led through gap in the noun
tain, was overhung on one side by large
rocks which rose up abruptly, as if ma
ture intended them to keep the wood
from sliding from it's place, and
tumbling down the precipice at the op.
posite side into the valley. We need
hardly say that the Finger-post stood
where two roads met at an acute angle,
one, the mail coach road,' skirting the
mountain toward the east,and the other
leading directly from the heart of the
secluded valley. Here Brian Purcell
stood, watching the cars laden with the
outcast children of Erin, as they toiled
wearily up the hill through the gap;
and wall after wall of agony, as if
hearts were rent asunder, was borne
upon the breeze, as friend after friend
turned back after bidding a last fare
well.
At this moment, the last vehicle in
the melancholy procession stopped op-
posite the Finger-post. 1t was dom
keys cart in which were an old woman
and two young children, her grand
children, whose father had sent for
them, DOnkevs ara NOT nrovorhial1v